The Gender Culture for Men and Women In The Army

SHARP, known as the Army’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program. Was started to prevent any form of assault in the Army. The main idea and goal with this program is to create a setting that respects the majesty of each service member. This program discusses ways to go about dealing with a sexual incident that is unwanted, whether its you or someone who you know is going through it. Speaking on how to limit these incidents, by providing professional work environments, warning signs, what to and what not to do. Overall, just ways to prevent it. However, sexual assault/ harassment is something that will never go away. In both civilian world, and military. Regardless of knowing right from wrong, we as humans are still prone to do wrong. We know rape and harassment is wrong, but even in todays society 1 and every 4 men/women are “disrespected” a day.  There are several reasons as to why SHARP cases are still present in the military today.  We must consider the gender culture, military being a state of constant surveillance, and the misuse of the system itself. 

Throughout our military family, there is a mixture of cultures. You have Africans, Europeans, Asians, Indians, and the list goes on. Several different ethnic groups, meaning several different beliefs. With different cultures and traditions. However, what we fail to count is the gender culture for men and woman. Basically, it is no surprise the men to woman ratio is enormously gapped. Although the military is preaching to service members, we are brothers and sisters in arms. We cannot be naïve to the fact that we are not blood related and when having training events, on deployments etc., the urge for some type of sexual need is high. Research shows, that although woman can fight back the urges it is harder for men. We also must think about the motto the military sets and encourages serviceman masculinity, which honestly belittle women. In everyday service member life, its not hard to see the difference in respect we women get compared to men. So, when the respect of one another is lacking, then seeing that person as an equal cause a misconception on how when it comes to harassment and assault it not as important. If a man tells another man no, it is respected because they are equals. Now if a woman tells a man no. That “no” is questioned.

This ties into me saying that living in a state of constant surveillance, is reason for why a lot of sexual assaults/harassments continue to occur. Living on a military base, we are all watched. Most of the time bringing back up the gender culture, it is by men. So because of this, there is multiple loop holes giving opportunities for assaults or harassment to occur (This goes for men and women). Having access to where you may live, your social media, able to observe you without your knowledge and without it being against the law.